Abstract [en]

Abstract

Aim

The purpose of the study was to investigate how we as PE-teachers can conform our teaching, to motivate students towards an active life style, even after graduation. By investigating what motivates adolescents towards a physically active life and how their education has affected them, we tried to find answers and underlying factors to adolescents exercise habits.

Method

The study was designed using interviews as a method. A total of 11 interviews were conducted during the project. All participants had graduated from the Swedish upper secondary school. The interviews were conducted individually with both authors present. We chose a theoretical approach based in motivational and behavioral research. Since researchers in the behavioral and motivational field elaborate and base their work on previous research, we have chosen to analyze our results based on several theoretical models.

Results

The results in this study point to a number of factors required for adolescents to be physically active. They believe that the most important motivational factor is joy, which is achieved when participants feel that they are skillful, and when they get confirmation during the activity. Other factors affecting the choice of activity is that it should be easy to execute, in terms of materials and participants. It’s also important that the activity is easy to plan along other tasks in everyday life.

Conclusions

What motivates young adults to a physically active life is above all that they feel joy to the activity. The activity must also be easy to preform and must not require too much time or resources. Students who already have positive experiences of physical activity is not influenced by the education of the same degree as the once who is lacking it.

The absence can lead to physical inactivity later in life. All students should be recognized and given praise as this contributes to positive emotions and associations with physical activity, which then motivates them to physical activity in later life.